Brianna and Brynn take on the town in Girls vs. the City

by Jeevin Johal

If you’re finding it too hot to lug your djembe up the stairs from wreck beach, and the heat is drying out the pedals from your once vibrant flower crown, maybe it’s time you stay in with a fresh four pack of your favourite tall cans of Double IPA and binge watch comedians Brianna Wiens and Brynn Peebles’ hilarious and refreshingly poignant web series, Girls Vs. the City.

The show centres around two best friends, aptly named Brianna and Brynn, and offers a satirical glimpse into the trendy behaviours of people living in an increasingly expensive Vancouver. Yet no matter how absurd their surroundings, their sisterly bond remains unbreakable. “It’s observational comedy,” explains Peebles. “A way to make fun of this city and ourselves.” “I like to make fun of people complaining,” adds Wiens. Though despite their judgements, the pair will openly testify their own guilt in secretly enjoying some of Van City’s most cliché and modish indulgences. “I made the flower crowns for the pilot, and I will say, I did enjoy it,” confesses Wiens. “But I will never wear them, and I don’t condone it.” Peebles adds, “I do genuinely enjoy craft beer, I just don’t enjoy the conversation around it.”

Although it seems the series gravitates towards a negative portrayal of big city life, both Wiens and Peebles maintain that there are still exciting and respectful aspects of living in such a progressive metropolis. “The LGBTQI community, I think [Vancouver] is so forward in that [movement],” exclaims Peebles. “And it seems to be going downhill in terms of being a young person being able to live here, but it’s not like we live in a trash fire. If someone was from anywhere else in the world, where there’s actual [problems], they’d be like ‘are you fucking kidding me? You’re complaining about craft beer?’”

Being a woman in the comedy world has been a hurdle for many, though we live in a time where acceptance and diversity is blossoming in the entertainment world, and these girls couldn’t be more ready to break free from the restraints of the underground and plunge into the mainstream. “I think we are coming into this at a really nice time, because it’s not like we’re the people paving the way. Women have already come and started that, and now it seems the rest of the world finally cares and hopefully what we’re doing gives a fresh perspective for people,” says Wiens. “I think there’s never been a better time in many ways to be a female in comedy,” concurs Peebles. “It’s more supported and it’s getting a bigger voice.”

Having already successfully completed two seasons of Girls Vs. The City, and having incorporated their own production company, Girl on Girl Humor, Wiens are Peebles are in a unique position in the comedy world that many dream of, and they don’t intend to monopolize on their success. “Big dream, we are putting money into other people’s projects,” says Wiens. Time to spell and grammar check those pitch packages because these girls are the real deal and rising as quickly as a pair of Mom jeans.

Season 2 of Girls vs. the City is now available for viewing on YouTube and Telus Optik TV